Iran holds pro-govt rallies after days of protests

Huge crowds of protesters supporting Iran’s government gathered in several cities across the country on Wednesday, state TV IRIB reported, in an attempt to counter a week of rallies against the government. Thousands of pro-government protesters marched through the capital Tehran, some chanting “Death to America” after Iranian officials blamed the US and its allies for provoking days of unrest and violence in the country, reported CNN.

State media reported that families, seniors and students were among Wednesday’s protesters, but images on television were mostly of middle-aged and older men. Many held images of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and waved the national flags. Twenty-one people have been killed and 450 people arrested during the anti-government rallies, which began last Thursday over the country’s stagnant economy and rising living costs, but quickly developed into a broader outcry against the government. The protests have become the most powerful challenge to the Iranian government’s authority since mass demonstrations in 2009.

Protests took place in at least 10 cities on Tuesday night, but in smaller numbers than previous days, Los Angeles Times Tehran correspondent Ramin Moshtagim told CNN.